"Do you, Jamie Regan, take Vinny Cruz to be your husband? Through sickness and heath, for better or worse, until death do you part?" These were the words that Jamie never pictured hearing in his life, or at least not directed to him without the word wife. Yet here he stood, at the altar of a small church wearing his police dress uniform about to marry a man.
Looking at the face of his love, Jamie felt his smile widen even farther and the happiness flooding his body seemed to only increase, like it was ready to burst from his body. He wondered if this was how his grandfather, father, and brother had felt at their own wedding. He never wanted to lose this feeling to be gone, and sent a silent prayer with the hops that it would be granted in this context.
Vinny himself was also smiling, though his was a mixture of love and famous amused grin. Like Jamie, he wore his police dress uniform and looked absolutely handsome with it giving just enough impression of what lied underneath. His eyes were deep with a love that Jamie thought could only exist in fiction or ideal, not as a state that was coursing through his husband-to-be.
So the answer to the question was simple, as the best things in life are. "I do," he said while slipping a simple golden ring onto Viny's left hand. He then clasped the hand roughly into his own, subconsciously wanting to imprint the memory and feeling on that forever.
Satisfied, the priest turned to Vince. "Do you, Vinny Cruz, take Jamie Regan to be your husband? Through sickness and heath, for better or worse, until death do you part?"
Vinny give one of his trade-mark grins, no doubt thinking of a joke answer thought Jamie. He would understand, knowing that under it all would be the serious commitment. One thing that drew him at the start, he knew. Yet it seemed Viny realized that such a response may not be appreciated by some of their…traditional guests. "I do," he answered and Jamie heard the conviction of it.
He felt the cool ring slide on sweaty fingers and felt one weight lift gone while another replaced it. It was the weight of being legally tied to another person, of a promise that was both rewarding and difficult. He saw the same weight in his husband's face and eyes, drawing comfort from that. "You may now kiss."
Not wasting another second, Jamie grabbed Viny's head and brought their lips together while he felt his lover arm wrap around his waist. The kiss was slow and sensual, both imprinting this moment to their memory. Jamie vaguely heard the clapping in the background, his mind focused on showing his love to Viny.
They broke after a few moments, Viny arm still wrapped around Jamie as they looked each other. "May I present you Jamie and Vinny Regan. May you both have a happy life together."
Grasping their ringed hands both turned to face their guests. A small group made mostly of close family and friends lined the pews of the church. Jamie eyes turned to his family, whom were sitting in the first row.
Jack and Sean were dressed in a simple dress clothes, and were simply looking at them as Jamie knew they were not one for sitting around for long. Happy as they may be for him, they no doubt just wanted to get to the reception at this point. He remembered having similar thoughts on the few weddings he attended that young.
Wearing a beautiful blue dress, Nicky was smiling at him while she continued to lightly clap. He remembered her glee and hug when he announced the engagement and wanted be part of the planning process. He felt sorry for whoever ended up marrying her.
Erin was also smiling, her eyes silently congratulating Jamie on finding someone, while Danny was giving him one of his classical grins. Oh, he knew that promised only more jokes from him at his expense in the future, but it was all in good fun. Payback for his own jokes at his wedding, Jamie supposed.
His father and grandfather expressions were more reserved, though he could see the love in their eyes. Out of all his family, they were the most surprised and reserved about the relationship. They still loved him and that would not change, but their minds carried the influence of a more conservative society. Still, he knew stories of people in his situation that ended not so kindly.
Music filled the church, signalling everyone to stand. The new couple looked at each other again and they started their walk down, down to their future as partners in almost every sense of the word. Jamie could not help recalling his first meeting as they walked.
